After Round 1 on Thursday, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay shared the lead at Pinehurst following a bogey-free 65 score.
Rory McIlroy sent his 20-foot birdie putt on its way at the 18th hole Thursday and started walking toward the cup when the ball was still some 6 feet away from falling. It looked like the walk of a four-time major champion in control of his game on a Pinehurst No. 2 course that demanded every bit of that in the“I thought I’d left it short. That’s why I walked after it — full disclosure,” McIlroy said. “It looked good, though.
Pinehurst No. 2 was both playable and punishing, yielding 15 rounds under par, the same number as the last time on this Donald Ross gem in 2014. He has the advantage of towering iron shots that land softly, and they were usually pin-high and away from the domed edges of the Pinehurst greens that cause so much trouble.
Ludvig Aberg, in his U.S. Open debut, hit his tee shot to 6 feet on the scary par-3 ninth hole for birdie and a 66. Every major is something new for the rising star from Sweden, who only turned pro a year ago. He was runner-up in the Masters. It shouldn't be a surprise to see Cantlay contending given he has no real weakness in his game, except for his performance in the majors. He has only four top 10s in his 26 major starts since returning from a serious back injury in 2017, and only one real chance at winning one.
“I've been working really hard on my game,” Cantlay said. “And usually when you make just a couple changes and you're working really hard, it's just a matter of time.”
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